Choo! Choo! On a sunny Thursday, Walter Poppe and Robert Steinberg were out with fellow railroad enthusiasts, rebuilding the train tracks at Southaven County Park in preparation for summer. The park offers train rides for kids -- and adults -- on a couple of Sundays each month during the summer.
"It's one of the best-kept secrets," says Poppe, president of the Long Island Live Steamers, the club that maintains the railroad on the county's land.
That's just one of the "secrets" of Long Island's parks. Here is the inside scoop on Southaven and other great park destinations for kids.
1.
Southaven County Park
Why it's good for kids: The rustic, Pine Barrens atmosphere makes this Brookhaven park seem like it's in the Catskill Mountains. Children can fish in the lake and take home their catch of largemouth bass, brook and rainbow trout, bluegills, perch and sunfish. They just have to bring their own fishing rods. They also can rent a rowboat and take a spin on the lake. Or stay overnight -- the park has 104 campsites. Come on a day when the railroad is operating (railroad schedule information is at
trainweb.org/lils or call 631-345-0499), and take the five-minute loop. It's not a thrill ride, but a walking-speed journey with enough breeze to blow back your hair. "It's just like a real railroad, the only thing is it's scaled down," Poppe says.
Admission and fees: There is no admission to the park, but $7 for the first hour and $5 for each additional hour to rent rowboats. Campsites are $15 a night with a Suffolk County Green Key Card and $30 a night without a Green Key Card. Advance reservations are not required; 50 percent of the sites are kept on a walk-in basis, says Emily Lauri, community relations director for Suffolk County Parks. Riders pay a voluntary donation to ride the rails -- the average is $1 to $2 per ride, Poppe says.
The club also sells engineer hats for $9 and other train mementos to raise funds to keep the railroad going. It's been running every summer since 1966.
2. Wantagh Park
Why it's good for kids: A fitness trail also is great for tricycle riders at this Nassau County park. Children can fish off the park's pier into the East Bay. The park's swimming pool has two undulating, 30-foot-high, theme-park-like waterslides, a diving tank, an interactive play area in 18 inches of water and a kiddie pool.
Admission and fees: The park is free. On weekends and holidays after Memorial Day, the park checks for Nassau residency. To swim in the pool, Nassau residents with Nassau County Leisure Pass pay $7 per adult and $5 per child ages 4 to 17. Without the passport, adults are $20 and children are $15, but they must either be or be accompanied by a Nassau County resident on weekends or holidays.
3. North Hempstead Beach Park
Why it's good for kids: Formerly known as Bar Beach, this grassy, shady park in Port Washington has basketball and tennis courts, a playground and plenty of trees. A concrete promenade runs along the water. Children can fish off the pier. The park has a sandy, swimming beach -- with lifeguards -- along Hempstead Harbor.
Admission and fees Parking is $15 daily for Nassau County residents or $40 for the season, $25 for seniors; $20 daily for nonresidents.
4. Belmont Lake State Park
Why it's good for kids: The lake is the main attraction. This North Babylon park is better for older children, because it's a longer walk from the parking area to the lake and from the lake to the restrooms. One drawback is the sound of the cars rushing by on nearby Southern State Parkway. Renting swan-shaped paddleboats is a hit with the kids.
Admission and fees: $6 per car, $10 an hour to rent paddleboats
5.Cantiague Park
Why it's good for kids: This Hicksville park has varied entertainment areas, from the playgrounds to the sandbox to the swimming pool to the miniature golf course. Playground areas have designated age groups, so the 8-year-olds won't trample the toddlers. Each area also is fenced off, so darting children won't get very far. A miniature golf course and a nine-hole golf course offer options. The nine-hole course is flat and open. "If you're a young golfer just learning the game, it's not a bad place to start out," says David Ring, spokesman for Nassau County Parks. The swimming pool has a waterslide, as well as a separate splash-park area with huge water-squirters. The Broadway Mall food court is nearby. "We go there for lunch and then we come here," says Annette Moller of Long Beach, who came to the park recently with her daughter, Dahlia, 2, and her friend Lori Gaskin and Gaskin's son, Matthew, 2.
Admission and fees: Park is free. The mini golf is $4 per child, $7 per adult. The nine-hole course is $15 for children with a Nassau County Leisure Pass, and $30 for children who are Nassau residents without a Leisure Pass or nonresidents. To swim in the pool, Nassau residents with Nassau County Leisure Pass pay $7 per adult and $5 per child ages 4 to 17. Without the Leisure Pass, adults are $20 and children are $15.
6. Heckscher Park
Why it's good for kids: A free children's outdoor concert series at the Chapin Rainbow Stage offers weekly puppet shows, sing-alongs and children's performances. Come earlier in the day to the Huntington Village to lay down your blanket for a prime spot on the grass. Besides the music, an ice-cream truck parks right near the stage. The park also has a playground, baseball field, tennis courts and a pond.
